Safety cutout for shotguns



March 21, 1950 l G. H, B vER 2,501,254

SAFETY CUTOUT FOR SHOTGUNS Filed Dec. 26, 1946 Bnnentor GEORGE H. BEAVEE (Ittornegs Patented Mar. 21,950

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY CUTOUT FOR SHOTGUNS George H. Beaver, Bellingham, Wash.

Application December 26, 1946, Serial No. 718,514

Claims. 7 l

The present invention concerns skeet shooting, trapshooting, or the like, or more correctly, the shotgun used in those sports, and useful, of course, in field shooting. More specifically the present invention concerns a cut-out for the trigger lock of such a shotgun, by means of which the trigger lock may be securely held in unlocked position, when that is desired, yet removable so that the trigger lock may be maintained, particularly in field shooting, in locked position until such time as the gun is to be readied for firing.

In field shooting it is axiomatic that the gun must be kept safe until such time as the birds are expected to be flushed. Some shotguns, the Winchester model 12 for example, have a trigger lock in the form of a slide or pin mounted in the trigger guard ahead of the trigger, which will permit the gun to be carried ready to fire, but which will prevent firing so long as the trigger lock is pressed in, or to the right. In order to fire the gun the trigger lock must first be pushed out, or to the left, into protruding position. This can only be done by intention, and is hardly possible to do accidentally, because of its protected location close beneath the overhanging forward extension of the grip or stock. On the other hand, should the trigger lock be left unlocked, it protrudes to the left beyond the grip extension, and in the natural handling of the gun, or by contact with thehunters clothing or other objects, it is quite likely to be pressed inwardly into safe or locked position. Should this occur in skeet shooting or trapshooting, however, the gun will not fire when the "bird is released, and such a lost bird counts as a miss. der controlled conditions, there is a minimum of danger if the gun is not kept locked. Accordingly, when the gun is to be used in skeet or trapshooting, it is desirable to provide means to prevent accidenta1 or unconscious movement of the trigger lock into locked or safe position, to the end that, while the shooter is running his string of shots, the gun will always remain. ready to fire. The provision of means to this end is the primary object of this invention.

It is, furthermore, an object of the invention to provide a device of the general nature indicated, which shall be simple, small, and light, so that it may be readily carried in the pocket, to be available when needed, and yet impose no burden upon the hunter who carries it.

Additionally it is an object of the invention to provide a device of the nature indicated, which can be quickly and easily applied and as readily dismounted from the gun, without the use of tools.

With these and similar objects in mind, as will shortly appear, the present invention In the latter type of shooting, un-' thereto.

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse View, somewhat in the nature of a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, illustrating the safety cut-out and the manner of its mounting upon the trigger lock, and with relation to the gun.

Figure 3 is a further enlarged isometric View of the safety cut-out detached from the gun, and Figure 4 is an elevation of the same.

Figure 5 is an elevation from a viewpoint removed from that of Figure 4, illustrating a slightly modified form of the safety cut-out.

The shotgun includes the grip 9 which is part of the stock, the trigger It, and the trigger guard H. The trigger lock I2 takes the form of a generally cylindrical pin mounted in the forward part of the trigger guard H, and slidable transversely of the trigger guard between locked and unlocke position. In the locked position its two ends project slightly, and generally by equal amounts, at opposite sides of the trigger guard, closely beneath and protected by the lower part of the adjacent grip or stock portion 9. In the unlocked position the left end of the trigger lock [2 projects materially beyond the trigger guard, and its right end is nearly flush with that side of the trigger guard. A transverse bore i3 is drilled transversely through this left end of the trigger lock 12, its normal function being to receive a ball click M which is mounted immediately above in the stock or in the barrel mount, for the purpose of assisting in retaining the trigger lock in the locked position.

The safety cut-out, which is the subject of this invention, consists essentially of a small block or sleeve l which has a bore 2 of a size to fit snugly over the end of the trigger lock H which projects when the latter is in unlocked position. Externally the block I is shaped to seat against the side face of the trigger guard H, and to fit beneath the stock or grip 5. Thus its end face 3 seats against the side face of the trigger guard H, and it may be beveled at'i and formed with a substantially flat upper surface 5 to fit beneath the stock. A slot l5 straddles the ball click M, hence the operation of the latter of the transverseabore J3, in the mannenshewn The retaining pin 6 fits sufiiciently in Fig. 2. closely and snugly Within the bore !3 that it will not drop therefrom. Moreover, if a tighter fit"- is desired, the inner end of the retaining..,pin might be slit, as indicated at l in Figure 5, so that its bulged tip 8 may spring inwardly: toenter andv press outwardly against the wallsof the bore 13,

It will now be evident that when the safety cut-out is desired to be used the trigger,1ocl l2 is pressed into unlocked .position projecting from trigger uard to; the left; Nowuthesaiety utv t i -ap L- e o t and g d nari yath rw ta-ining pin G isinserted within the boreu being properly located iorsuch engagement bytheseat ing, of the safetycut out. New it,is-. im-p,ossible,.to

press; the ..trigger lock i2 inwardly towardloched position, and-so, the, gun remains always unto ched... Whenever the shooter is through, it is, a simple... matter to withdraw the retaining pin 6, and then:

tosli-p thesleeve or; cut-put off; the trigger lock, and-the latter -maythen be ,pressed inwardly, or toward the right sideoi thagun ,to lock-the-gun,

Thev safety cut out is small, light, and] {I spicuous, and;e,t serves its, purpose.- admirably.

It may becarried-ready forapplication at any time .its useis desired, and may readil ahelde tached and put-inthe pocketwhen shooting con ditionsaresuch that; the, gunshould he; carried locked. It maylbemadei in various terms of con struction, the essential thing-beingthat-it s upon theprojecting, trigger-lock, and seatszagainst the trigger guard, thereby-preventing depression, or dextralzmovement, of the tr-iggerlock.--

I- claim as. my invention: A

1. Asafety cut-out, for.applicationto shotguns r which have a trigger. lock; transversely slida-ble in a trigger guard, said cut-out comprising asleeveformed=and arranged when installed to .embraca that end of the .triggerlock whichprojects when.

slid into unlocked position, and of alength-such that; when so embracing the lock, toei age such" trigger guard, andwhen thus engaging the trigger guard, substantially enclosing the trigger lock, and nieansmounted on the sleeve and constructed andarranged to iengagelthe trigger loci; of the gun to prevent inward movementof the trigger look into locked position.

2. Asaiety cut-out, for application to shotguns which have a trigger lock transversely slidable in a trigger guard, said cut-out comprising. a sleeve: formed. and arranged when installed to embrace that end of such trigger lock which pro jects. when slid into unlocked position, and of a length such that,; when so embracing thelock, to engage the trigger guard, and when time engaging thev trigger guard, constructed and ar ranged-to substantially enclose the trigger lock, and-means engageable with saidsleeve and constructed' and; arranged;v to, removably engage the trigger lock to securethe sleeve in suchiposition upon, the; trigger, lock and thereby prevent inlwardsinovement of the trigger look into locked position.

3. A safety, cut-out, forapplication toshotguns which, have. a transversely bored, generally cylindrical trigger lock disposed transverselyof. and slidablein a trigger guard in the direction of the; triggers. loci; cylinder, between retracted 4. and projecting position, said cut-out comprising a sleeve constructed and arranged so that, when installed it will embrace that end of such trigger lock which projects when the trigger lock is slid lllt0' unlocked; position, anda retaining pin mounted in saids'leeve andf constructed and arranged to be received within the transverse bore of the trigger lock, thereby to retain the sleeve upontheiproiecting end of the trigger lock, the sleeve being of such length that, when so retained, its .end willaengage the trigger guard to prevent inward movement ,of the trigger lock into locked position.

4.-A. safety cut-out, for application to shotguns which have a trigger lock transversely slidable in: a trigger guard, and located adjacent a stock, and wherein such triggerlockhasi a1 bjore dispps'ed, transversely .of its length, and ew ra e ,thatjit is outwardly of such trigger guard, when the trigger .lock .is projected in unlocked position, said: cut-put comprising ablocl; bored in a ma e such. that wheniinstalled it wil l jsnugly fit over. the projecting end ,of such trigger lock of such a shotgun, and externally, shaped and arranged 1 transverse, boreoithe trigger lock' ofthe gun, to

prevent inward moyementofthe latterfrom its: outwardly .projected.,unlocl ed position;

5.. A safety cut out, f orapplication to shotgun s, which have altrigger lock transversely 'slidahlein a trigger. guard'an'd just beneath an overlianging stock, and wherein such triggerw lock. is retained in. position by aball-clichengaging its upper por tion. andmounted. in such,trigger guard, the trigger locl having a,hore. disposed transversely, of its length for registrywith such ball -click and so located that it.. 'i's,,outwardly of such trigger guard when,the .trigge r.lock is projectedinun locked position, said cutout comprising a block bored in a manner such that, when; installed, it. will fitsnuglyover, the, projecting, end, of the trigger lock, of;-s.uch a sho tgun, said block being tapered atits upper, inner portion in such'manner that, when so installed, it.;wil l avoid contact with the. stocle and enableitsfinner face toseat against the trigger. guard, its,upp,er, inner, portion beingv also slotted, outwardly fromits inner face, in such manner that whenso installed it will straddle the. ball-click, ahole inthe lower. po tion of the-block located. where, upon, installa tion oft-the block in the mannerdescribed, said holeis in registrywith;thetrigger locks trans versebore, and. a retaining..pinreceived insaid hole and constructed and arrangedto bereceived in such transverse boretoretain'the block in me stalled position.

GEORGE. BEAVER.

E EBE W QiELT-Pp.

Thev following references, are of record in the file of this'patent:

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